Discoveries in the Depths
by gallifreyGirl315
Summary: Draco Malfoy is Hogwarts Triwizard champion. He is prepared to complete the second task and recover what he will sorely miss. But what if it's who he least expected?


A/N: I do not own these characters, just borrowing them for our enjoyment. This oneshot came from a conversation with a friend. I wanted to see how it played out.

The crowed cheered and the wind blew. Draco stood between Harry and Viktor, with his toes just on the edge of the dock. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for the shock of the cold water he knew was moments away. Draco Malfoy was Hogwart's true Triwizard Champion. When the flames had spat out his name, it had not been well received. His house had rallied behind him, even the upperclassmen who had, despite their best efforts to hide it, scoffed when it was he who was chosen. The rest of the school had been in a stunned silence. Even the old man Dumbledore seemed shocked by his name appearing, but Draco was eligible. Fourth years and above could add their name. And so Draco Malfoy was a Triwizard champion.

Glancing down at the murky water, he thought back to what the egg had told him. _We've taken what you'll sorely miss_ _._ Draco thought about the things he would surely miss. His broom. His Wand. And his want was securely in his hand, and his broom was exactly where he left it. There were no other things he could think of that he would genuinely miss. It then occurred to him that the egg may have been referring to people. He would miss snogging Pansy, but he wouldn't sorely miss her. Crab and Goyle were important, but he wasn't sure he'd miss THEM exactly. He scanned the crowd, his mother and his father were sitting stoically in the visitor section, so it was not his mother they took. He honestly had no idea what or who he would find in the lake.

The cannon boomed and the champions were off. Draco had cast a Bubble head charm and jumped in. He tried to inhale, but it was as if his body wouldn't allow him. He could feel himself sinking as he struggled to breath. Panic was starting to set in when he was passed by something that nearly resembled a shark. The shock made him gasp, which broke him of whatever mental block he had formed from trying to breathe underwater. He started to swim down, further into the cold water.

Draco kept alert, his eyes glancing from side to side. He was familiar with the depths of the lakes, to an extent at least. The Slytherin common room was under the lake and there were "windows" to the lake. For the most part, the only thing anyone ever saw was seaweed and the occasional fish. But Draco enjoyed staring off into the depths and he had caught glimpses of some of the other creatures he was now among. A large dark shadow moved below him giving him pause. There was the giant squid that had an almost benevolent presence, but it was not the only squid, and some of the others were not as friendly. Once he felt like the creature was far enough away, he swam on. Ahead of him was a thicket of seaweed and algae. Something told him that this was the way he had to go.

Just as he pushed past the first few fronds, he felt a sharp pain in his foot. He quickly pulled his foot up, which turned him around slightly in the water. He had a Grindylow firmly attached to his ankle. He shook it violently until the creature released him. Before he could even take another breath, he was surrounded by several Grindylows. They nipped at him like a swarm of piranhas, each bite stinging worse than the previous. Draco swung his arms and his legs with as much force as he could through the water. After a few moments he finally remembered that he was a wizard. He cast augamenti, shooting a jet from his wand, knocking two of the Grindylows away, but the swarm persisted. A few more augamenti and Draco realised it wasn't enough.

He was bleeding from several bite wounds on his arm, none were prefuse, but the blood might attract something more sinister. He was losing to the swarm. He cast an Expulso, causing a shockwave around him. Most of the Grindylows around him were stunned, and the rest swam off. With his heart racing and his legs burning, he untangled himself from the foliage that had held him in place like rope. Once free, he wasted no more time and kicked his legs, propelling him deeper.

Draco was approaching the bottom of the lake. He could see what looked like a skyline in front of him. He had never seen anything like it. The structures looked like they could have been manmade. They stood tall under the water, various heights and sizes. As he approached, he could see small holes in the structures. He was so mesmerized by the sights, he didn't even notice the mermen on either side of him. The glint of a spear finally caught his eye. Draco immediately dropped, well floated, into a defensive position.

The mermen did not react. They simply stared, silent watchers of the lake. Draco relaxed as he continued to swim along the path they created. He passed though a small clump of seaweed and ahead of him were four figures, vaguely human shaped and unmoving. A fifth figure was moving around them, this one vaguely Harry Potter shaped. He felt his temper rise. He had been beaten here.

He was finally close enough that the Boy-Who-Lived-But-Clearly-Had-A-Death-Wish noticed Draco approaching. Harry stopped swimming and positioned himself infront of two of the other figures. Draco could tell that they were definitely people. As he got closer, he saw a young girl, hair as blonde as could be. He had never seen her in his life, but could only assume that it was Fleur's sister. The other body Harry was not protecting was a man in his 50s, angry, even in his unmoving position. He thought the man looked familiar, but he didn't actually know who he was. Next to the brooding body was flaming red hair. Weasley, Draco thought bitterly. Of course that was who Harry cared the most about. Who else did he have in his life?

Draco knew that the first three were not his. Two strangers and a Weasley. He definitely could do without them in his life. That meant that the last one was his. The last one was the person he would sorely miss, Harry was still floating as firm as one could float in front of the final person. He could not tell who it was. Draco swam forward and Harry moved to block his path. When he moved, he got a glimpse of who he was obscuring.

Hermione.

Draco's stomach instantly knotted itself. Hermione Granger was the person he would sorely miss. He glanced back at the other two, taking a moment to stare at the older man, just to be sure. Just to be sure that he didn't know him, that he wasn't some long lost relative Draco cared about in his childhood. But the man was simply unknown to him. Draco knew that he did not have much time left. The hour would surely be over soon and he wanted to win. Even if it meant saving the mu-

Hermione.

Even if it meant saving Hermione. He swam towards Harry again, with the intent of getting past him. Harry once again put himself in his path. Harry pushed against Draco, pushing him further away. Harry's hands were like webbed fins and they were on his shoulders. The boys fought each other under the water. The water made their movements slow and deliberate, but they both were unyielding. Draco got a foot on the bottom of lake and got enough leverage to get past Harry.

Draco gave Hermione a once over, she looked unharmed and her wild hair swayed in the water. Before he could work on freeing her, he felt Harry's webbed hands on him again, pulling him. This time Draco had his wand. He cast augumenti again, but Harry managed to move to the side of the jet of water. He was agile with his flipper like appendages. Before Draco could cast another, the Mermen had taken action, Two had grabbed Harry, each one taking an arm. They restrained him and nodded towards Hermione.

Taking a moment to remember the image of Harry Potter struggling to get out of the grasp of the two mermen, he again began working to free Hermione. His hands were quick as he untied the ropes that were binding her. She floated up when the ropes released her. Draco put an arm around her waist and began to swim upwards. He glanced back towards Harry who continued to fight his captors.

Draco knew that swimming to the surface with Hermione was going to be nearly impossible. He cast a charm that created a bubble of air at the end of his wand. The air bubble woudn't be able to do all the work, but it made it easier. As his legs kicked under him, he glanced at the girl beside him. He could pretend that he was shocked that Hermione was the one waiting for him. Ever since he met her, he was constantly surprised by who she was. Hermione was the first Muggle born he had ever really encountered. She was not a deformity, an abomination. She was just another person. She was not stupid or weak. She was never unkind, even to him. Despite all the vitriol he spewed at her, she never said an unkind thing to him. At least not first. That did not stop her from fighting back, but not once did she instigate.

He had always felt compelled to interact with her. The thought was rarely conscious, if ever. But now he could no longer deny it. The ascent to the surface was slow, even with the aid of the bubble. Though at the moment he was thankful. When he reached the surface, everyone would learn his secret. A secret he didn't even know he had until just a few moments before. He couldn't imagine what his housemates would have to say. He certainly wouldn't be snogging Pansy anymore and his apathy confirmed his earlier thoughts. Crabbe and Goyle would have little thought on the matter, as they had little thought to begin with. Nott probably won't speak to him any more. Blaise would probably just shrug his shoulders and insist he get an invite to the wedding or the funeral after his father killed him. _His father._ Now that was going to be the hardest.

Lucius Malfoy publicly denounced his opinions on blood status. He was an impartial judge on the matter. In the home, he had no love for "mudbloods." Draco found himself uncomfortable even thinking the word. He no longer understood how he could have said it in the past. What ever his friends threw at him, he could handle, but he had no idea what to expect from his father. He did not know if he would be disowned or if he would be forced to cut Hermione from his life. He honestly had no idea. His mother would probably do whatever father said.

The water around Draco got lighter. It seemed as though the surface was approaching. He would not have to wait much longer to find out. His head reached the surface eliciting cheers from a small section of the crowd. Hermione's head reached the surface moments later. If he thought the crowd was stunned to silence when his name was drawn, he was not prepared for this.

Dumbledore's Sonorus amplified voice cracked through the silence. "Our first successful champion has returned with three minutes remaining."

Draco pulled himself and Hermione towards the staircase the led out of the water and on to the dock. He laid her gently on the steps, her feet still dangling in the water. Her wild mane was wet and clung on her face, obscuring most of it. Draco smiled slightly at the image. Shutting out everything around him, he watched as Madame Pomfrey roused Hermione from her apparent stasis. He still had a light hold around Hermione as she began to stir. Her eyes were confused and angry when they met his.

"Hey," he managed to croak.

She stared at him a moment longer, the anger and confusion causing her brow to furrow and her lips to thin. Pushing herself back, she got out of his light embrace, and ensured there was no physical contact. Draco tried with all his might to keep his features soft. He still didn't totally understand why she really was the thing he would sorely miss, but the anger in her features were already causing him some amount of distress. She rose to her feet quickly, too quickly. She wobbled and Draco reflexively reached out to stabilize her, even from his sitting position. His hand barely brushed her leg before she leaped backwards, away from his touch. She took two steps back before turning and running. Madame Pompfrey chased after her for a few steps before Vicktor reached the surface, his face still full of sharp teeth, and the older man under his fin.

"Draco." The sharp voice of his father got his attention. He rose to his feet, adjusting the blanket that someone had placed around his shoulders.

"Father." Draco responded curtly.

"Congratulations on completing the Second task." Lucius said, holding his arm out slightly, as Narcissa looped his arm through his.

"Yes dear. We are proud of you." Narcissa's response was formal, and strained.

"Come with me." Lucius turned on his heel, taking away Draco's chance to protest or even verbally agree.

They walked to a secluded area near the edge of the path that lead to the castle.

"Why did you retrieve the mudblood girl from the lake?"

"That was the task given to me." Draco hoped that if he answered simply, his father would assume that Hermione was randomly chosen, and not something more.

"Why would _that_ be your task?"

"I do not know" Draco lied.

"Draco, dear. Your father is simply ensuring that there was not an agenda being imposed upon you by those in charge." Narcissa attempted to ease the tension. She looks at her son, his features were quickly becoming that of a man, and not the boy her heart yearned for. Draco clearly did not know that the crown had been told the details of the task once the champions had disappeared beneath the surface. Dumbledore had so eloquently recited the very poem the champions had been given. When Narcissa heard the words, she had expected Pansy or perhaps Astoria to be beneath the waters. But when the young Muggle born surfaced with her son, she knew immediately what it meant. She did not know how much it would come to mean, but in that moment, she knew that her son had not the same mind as her beloved husband. Draco's letters home and stories over the breaks had rarely lacked mention of the girl. At first she had thought it was school boy crush, but the words he had used to describe her had taken a sinister turn.

Narcissa had expected Draco would follow in Lucius's footsteps, all of them. And his stories of Hermione Granger had seemed to confirm his inherent hatred of the lessor. But when her son came to the surface with her, she knew she was wrong. Draco would be so much more than his father.

"I am sorry I do not have more to tell you, Mother." Draco's usual polite facade cracked ever so slightly when he named his mother.

"You will not speak to your mother like that, Draco" Lucius eyed his son. Draco read his expression to be one of ire, but what he did not see was the look of fear that was carefully hidden behind it. There were so many more forces at work that Draco did not know about, but Lucius did. While Lucius knew little of the specifics, he knew that Harry's participation in the Triwizard Tournament and both Bagman's and Dumbledore's utter confusion as to how it had happened meant something was coming. The war Lucius had fought in just a few short years ago, and had been on the losing side of, was coming again. He did not know how, but he knew. Many of his former colleagues had been whispering. If war was coming, Lucius knew what side he would be on. And if his son cared for a mudblood, he did not like what that would mean. He would fight for what he felt was right. And he would fight for his family. Lucius did not want to have to chose between the two, because deep down, he knew what he would chose, and he did not want to have to lose his son over it. "I do hope that in saving the mudblood you do not think that you are free to remain friendly. If I hear word of you associating with filth, the repercussions will be stiff."

"Yes, Father." Draco verbally agreed. He had no choice. Going against his father's wishes was out of the question. "I should return for the remainder of the task."

"Of course dear, I am sure we will hear from you over the holidays." Narcissa said sweetly. She tried to meet her son's eyes. She wanted to tell him it was okay. To tell him that she understood, but he had already turned to return to the docks.

Draco walked back towards the crowds in time to see Harry Potter shoot out of the water like a rocket. He tried to suppress the laughter, but he could not. Despite the gravity of his current situation, he simply had to laugh.

Once his brief moment of frivolity over, he heard his father's words in his head again. Malfoy's did not disobey family. Regardless of whatever feelings he was now aware of, he would ignore them, and rid himself of them. In fact, it would be easier now that he knew of them. He held his head high, preparing to defend himself, to besmirch her name to save his face.

Draco had barely stepped on to the wooden planks of the dock before Harry had come at him. "How dare you. Hermione means nothing to you. You don't even deserve…"

"That is where you are wrong, she clearly doesn't mean nothing to me," Draco started. He could see the hatred bubbling over in Harry, feel it coming off him in waves like the water he had so recently left behind. "If I'm not mistaken, the egg said that it will take what we will sorely miss. It did not say it would take something we _care_ about." Draco took special care to put disdain on the word care. "Who else would I have call mudblood if it weren't for Hermione? I would indeed sorely miss that." He said with finality, maybe even convincing himself of this words.

"You make me sick." Harry spat.

"Ladies and Gentleman," Dumbledore's voice boomed. "All of our champions have returned and it is time to award points. In last place we have…"

Draco tunned out his voice best he could, stepping forward only when he heard his name. He had come in first for this task. He felt nothing.

He remained on the docks as the crowd returned to the castle. Only a few remained behind, including the Headmaster.

"Ah Draco, you made quick work of the task. I believe Professor Flitwick should be proud of your charm work." Dumbledore praised Draco, a knowing spark in his eyes.

"It was an obvious choice Professor." Draco responded, not unkindly, but not welcoming either.

"Well, enjoy your time with Ms Granger then." he said before taking his leave.

"I don't plan to…" Draco began, but he turned around to face Dumbledore but he had already gone. Instead, Hermione was walking towards him, and quickly. "I don't know what you…" Draco once again started.

"Stop talking." Hermione interrupted. Draco looked a bit aghast. "I do not understand how or why I was your 'most sorely missed.' You have only spoken to me with hostility but clearly there is something else going on here. Because I do not believe the sorry excuse you gave Harry, which by the way I would avoid anyone with red hair for quite some time. If you think Harry is mad, well, let's just say that Ron and GInny are… that's not important. I do not know what you intend to do. I do not know if you intend to continue to lie to yourself that this is nothing. In fact, I wouldn't not be surprised if that's what you do because frankly I think you are a coward and that will be easier for you. But if you intend to forge some sort of friendship, I am amenable. But only on very strict terms and know that I will have no patience for hatred from you or any of your cronies. So with that said... " she took a deep breath. The next part was not easy. "Thank you."

Draco stared at her for what was apparently too long.

"Saying you're welcome would be the appropriate response here. I thought you purebloods were all about formality." Hermione snipped, a small grin on her face.

"Yes, it's exhausting. And you're welcome." Draco felt his shoulders relax. When her eyes met his, he realised that obeying his father would be impossible.


End file.
